70-year-old HCC graduate teaches next generation life lesson on following your dreams

TAMPA, Fla. - In a sea of excitement, the graduating class of 2023 took their walk across the stage and got their diploma from Hillsborough Community College and for one graduate it was a moment 50 years in the making. 

Seventy-year-old Richardene Caso, took part in the pomp and circumstance with her daughter by her side. 

"I'm excited. I'm breathless. I am graduating from HCC after 53 years," she said laughing.

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Caso graduated from Leto High School in 1970. She got a start at Hillsborough Community College back then, but life got in the way. 

"I got married and started a family and I started a career. So it was just like a long gap," she explained.

But she decided it's never too late to go back and her daughter gave her the shove she needed. 

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"Well, it was a lot of different types of circumstances in life and different ups and downs. But during COVID, my daughter encouraged me. She said, 'Okay, mom it's time.' And I said maybe I’ll take a stab at it and go back. So it was a lot of time with nothing to do really. Taking the classes online was easy, so I jumped back into it," Caso explained.

In an interesting twist, Caso was able to transfer the college credits she earned more than 50 years ago. She took it as a sign that she was meant to carry on. 

For Caso, having her daughter by her side has special meaning. They encourage each other. It's a bond that will never break. 

"My daughter, she's just like encouragement. She's very encouraging. Always encouraging me. I think she just pushed me and she pushed me and pushed me and pushed me... right over the edge," she said laughing. 

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Now, she finally has an associate in arts degree after all these years and walked across the stage like she always hoped she would. 

School leaders even gave her recognition on the stage for her incredible accomplishment. 

And she's a role model for this new generation that's all around her. 

"I would tell everybody, just never give up on your dream. I have the quote from Nelson Mandela, who said, 'It always seems impossible until it's done.' So I just kept pushing through physically, mentally, everything. Until I just said, okay. And the support of my family and the support of all the resources of HCC was phenomenal. And I have my daughter to thank because she was my rock, and she pushed me through. I'm grateful."

Caso hopes to teach everyone that it’s never too late to follow your dreams.